Tree of Life Version
Isaiah 2:4
4He will judge between the nations and decide for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, nor will they learn war any more.
Isaiah 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
- New International Version (NIV)He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.
Context of Isaiah 2:4
2It will come to pass in the last days that the mountain of Adonai’s House will stand firm as head of the mountains and will be exalted above the hills. So all nations will flow to it. 3Then many peoples will go and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Adonai, to the House of the God of Jacob! Then He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” For Torah will go forth from Zion and the word of Adonai from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and decide for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, nor will they learn war any more. 5Come house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of Adonai. 6For You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob. For they are filled with soothsayers from the east, and they have clapped hands with the children of foreigners.
Read all of Isaiah 2Isaiah 2:4 word by word
וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he shall judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- among the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- and shall rebukeיָכַחyâkach · to rebukeH3198
- manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and they shall beatכָּתַתkâthath · to crushH3807
- their swordsחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- into plowsharesאֵת'êth · plowshareH855
- and their spearsחֲנִיתchănîyth · spearH2595
- into pruninghooksמַזְמֵרָהmazmêrâh · pruning-knifeH4211
- shall not lift upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: fightH5375
- neither shall they learnלָמַדlâmad · to learn: learnH3925
- warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
Cross-references for Isaiah 2:4
- Isaiah 11:3His delight will be in the fear of Adonai. He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor decide by what His ears hear.
- 1 Samuel 2:10Those who oppose Adonai will be shattered. He thunders against them in heaven. He judges the ends of the earth. He gives strength to His king, exalting the horn of His anointed one.”
- Psalms 82:8Arise, O God, judge the earth! For You possess all the nations.
- Psalms 96:13before Adonai, for He is coming! For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.
- Psalms 110:6He will judge among the nations, heaping up corpses. He will crush heads over the entire land.
- John 16:8“When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment:
- Acts 17:31For He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness, through a Man whom He has appointed. He has brought forth evidence of this to all men, by raising Him from the dead.”
- Revelation 19:11Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The One riding on it is called Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness.
- Isaiah 9:7Adonai sent a word to Jacob, and it fell upon Israel.
- Isaiah 11:6The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion and the yearling together, and a little child will lead them.
- Psalms 46:9Come, see the works of Adonai, who brings devastations on the earth.
- Hosea 2:18In that day—it is a declaration of Adonai— you will proclaim, ‘My husband,’ and never again call Me, ‘My Baal.’
- Micah 4:3He will judge between many peoples and decide for mighty nations far off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, nor will they learn war again.
- Zechariah 9:10I will banish chariots from Ephraim and horses from Jerusalem, and the war bow will be broken. He will speak shalom to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth.
- Isaiah 60:17“Instead of bronze I will bring gold, instead of iron I will bring silver, instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. I will make shalom your overseer, and righteousness your taskmasters.
Commentaries on Isaiah 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Neither shall they learn war any more - If wars are necessary, how deep must that fall be that renders them so! But what a reproach to humanity is the trade of war! Men are regularly instructed in it, as in any of the necessary arts. "How to dislodge most souls from their frail shrines By bomb, sword, ball, and bayonet, is the art Which some call great and glorious!" And is this a necessary part of a finished education in civilized society? O Earth!…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And he shall judge - Or he shall exercise the office of a judge, or umpire. This “literally” refers to the God of Jacob Isaiah 2:3, though it is clear that the meaning is, that he will do it by the Messiah, or under his reign. One office of a judge is to decide controversies; to put an end to litigations, and thus to promote peace. The connection shows that this is the meaning here. Nations that are contending shall be brought to peace by the influence of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The kingdom of God becomes clear when conflict and violence stop. It is characterized by peace (Romans 14:17). People will either choose to cooperate or be compelled to stop fighting (Psalm 46:9). Nations will choose divine judgment instead of war (see Isaiah 1:18–20). The words judge and arbitrate describe God's actions here, but later verses show the Messiah as the one who delivers justice (Isaiah 11:3–4). When this happens, war will end, and nations…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. judge--as a sovereign umpire, settling all controversies (compare Is 11:4). Lowth translates "work," "conviction." plowshares--in the East resembling a short sword (Is 9:6, 7; Zec 9:10).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 2:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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